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Closer Lives Travel and Lifestyle Blog: Your Guide to Adventure and Cultural Discovery

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We are digital nomads slow traveling the world full time, budget and bougie style! Jenn & Leon Travel Blog is for you if you enjoy relationships, history, getting to know local people & communities, are looking for travel & tourism, world culture & cuisine, digital nomadic how to's, tips, tricks & recommendations from 42 countries and counting. We also review restaurants and our Airbnb stays!

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Tora Restaurant: A Review of One of Cancun's Best Japanese Restaurants

Updated: Jun 16

This unique restaurant was the winner of the 2020 Diner's Choice award granted by Open Table and we can totally see why! An absolutely epic night out on the water with magnificent food, first class service, brilliant entertainment and an amazing vibe.


Tora 5 star food & entertainment Cancun Mexico.

During our time in Cancun Jenn was looking for a nice place to eat on the water with a sunset view... this is how she happened upon Tora, a Japanese Restaurant (one of her favorites). However, we found it a little challenging to find the details we were looking for, so we hope that we can touch on some of the questions you may have when considering a visit.


Read on for the incredible food we tried, the superb entertainment, how to find Tora Cancun, our YouTube video highlights and our restaurant rating!


A table with a glass of wine on it overlooking a sunset.


 


Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. Tap here for further information.


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Cancun city tour and shopping with Klook


● Sightseeing, Shopping and Fun in Cancun

● Tour the city highlights in a panoramic double-decker bus with live commentary

● Learn with our guides about the history and interesting facts of Cancun

● Safely discover places often missed by tourists

● Enjoy free time for shopping

● Sample delicious tequilas and authentic chocolate


 

Our Tora Restaurant highlights


We took an Uber from central Cancun to get to Tora which cost a very reasonable 400 pesos. Tora is situated in the hotel zone and is on the water of the Nichupté Lagoon with absolutely breathtaking views! It was super appealing from the outside and we knew from the moment we stepped out of the cab that we were in for a real treat.


The entrance to Tora Japanese Restaurant, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Meet and greet at the entrance to Tora, the beginning of an epic night

We were greeted at the entrance and taken towards the reception desk where there are mandatory temperature checks; this was fine although for the first and only time since the pandemic it was conducted with a full facial scanner! We found this technology interesting as we had never seen anything like this before. We were then escorted to our sunset view table which could not have been more perfect!



We each started with a signature Tora Infusion Ball (640 pesos for two) and my oh my it was good! There are 3 flavors to choose from and we highly recommend them. We spent the next 20 minutes or so soaking up the magnificent sunset, water and Tora dock, with uninterrupted views accompanying the warm breeze and soothing background music in the restaurant. It literally could not have been more serene.


The Sashimi Platter at Tora Restaurant, Cancun, Mexico
The excellent Sashimi Platter, exclusively at Tora, in the warm backdrop of a stunning sunset. Paradise!

For our starter we went for the Sashimi Platter which included Bluefin tuna, Ora King salmon Hamachi and Alaskan King crab. Little did we know that the presentation of this would be so impressive! It was absolutely delicious although it was so hard to take the first bite... we could have stared at it all night!


The staff were highly attentive from the off and were on hand at any moment to tend to our needs or questions. The shift manager even came over to say hello and take a few photos!!


Two plates of food on a table
Absolutely delicious grilled seabass & tiger shrimp, the finest Japanese cuisine at Tora Cancun

For our main we ordered the grilled seabass ( 750 pesos) and tiger shrimp (800 pesos) accompanied with brandy (410 pesos each) and wine (1 bottle 820 pesos). We also had one of Tora's famous hot rice pots (500 pesos) which are a traditional Japanese rice casserole. This was magnificent and was served directly by the chef right at our table!




 

Alux Restaurant Playa del Carmen


Come and have dinner with us as we take a trip fine dining in Alux Restaurant in Playa del Carmen & discover the marvels of Mexican cenotes!


 
 

The food was absolutely scrumptious in keeping with the first class treatment we received throughout this memorable night. Keep in mind we wanted to try and sample some of the pricier options but the menu is expansive and can accommodate a variety of price points.



The entertainment started with a fantastic drum bongo and dancing show on the dock against the backdrop of the night sky. It was super fun and was accompanied by the staff handing out fountain sparklers to all of the diners! Who doesn't love a good sparkler! It certainly set the mood and continued right until closing time, along with the staff encouraging table and chair dancing and joining in with the fun.



We also had an excellent hookah with a delightful blueberry shisha (1300 pesos), alongside some fiery tequila (250 pesos each). The singing and dancing continued in the build up to the grand crescendo... fireworks on the water! It could not have been more spectacular and is truly an unforgettable restaurant. Not to mention the bathroom facilities were excellent too with waited service / champagne, towels, face cloths, perfume and a beautiful setting. We honestly cannot praise Tora highly enough!




 
 

Tora Restaurant on YouTube


Now for the video! Enjoy the highlight reel, and if you do enjoy our video and would like to follow along with our content why not subscribe to our channel! It is completely free and it means YouTube will notify you of our latest videos so you won't miss them. Typically we will post once or twice a week.



Also did you know, when watching a video on YouTube, you can tap our logo on the bottom right, and subscribe right away! It is that easy!



 
 

How to get to Tora Japanese Restaurant Cancun


Tora is located at km 15 of the Hotel Zone, very close to the best hotels in Cancun, such as Paradisus Cancun, JW Marriott Cancun, The Ritz Carlton Cancun, Fiesta Americana Condesa, Hard Rock Hotel Cancun, The Royal Caribbean, The Royal Islander, Secrets The Vine, The Westin Lagunamar among others.


There is plenty of parking available and you can also take a taxi here. There is an exclusive dock too, just in case you wanted to come by boat!




Address: Blvd. Kukulcan km 15, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico


Contact: +52 998 313 4128




 
 

Our Tora Restaurant Cancun experience rating


A couple kissing

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5


If you are celebrating anything special, or even just looking for an amazing date night out, then this is the place to do it in Cancun Mexico. But please don't forget to make a reservation however you can take the chance of just walking in. Also keep in mind it is much quieter the earlier you go and you will get to see the amazing sunset view! We noticed most people came later in the evening for dinner and the entertainment. We arrived at 4pm and left at 1am, we would advise allowing yourself time to embrace the full experience.


✓ Atmosphere: 5/5

The ambience and vibe was fantastic, right up there as the best restaurant experience we have ever had. The entertainment was excellent and there was some extra nice touches throughout the night that added even more to what was already a great time!

Cost: 5/5

✓ Food: 5/5

✓ Service: 5/5



 
 

How to follow our Blog


There are lots of ways for you to stay up to date with Jenn and Leon Travel. If you follow us on Instagram, you can join our broadcast channel for our latest updates and posts. You will also find us on YouTube of course, or you can simply subscribe to our blog, and we will drop our latest posts straight into your email inbox. It is that easy!



 

Your FREE interactive map of Mexico


Check out all of the places we visited in Mexico courtesy of this interactive map from Wanderlog. Tap any of the numbers for more information including directions, our blog posts, links to reviews and much more.



Wanderlog is a free travel planning app for iOS and Android devices that allows users to create trip itineraries, organize flights, hotel and car reservations, view places to visit on a map, and collaborate with friends. It is super handy and has made a big impact on our travel planning. It saves time and is super easy to use!



 

Explore Cancun with Klook


Klook offers a wide variety of tours to help you experience the best of Cancun. Whether you're looking for a historical museum visit, parasailing, or even 4-in-1 day trips, Klook has something to offer. In addition to their wide selection of tours, Klook also offers great deals on transportation, accommodation, and activities.



All tours are led by experienced guides who can help you learn about the history and culture of Mexico. Klook's tours are all-inclusive too, so you don't have to worry about anything but enjoying your experience!


 

Your GUIDE to visiting Mexico


First time in Mexico? Check out our comprehensive guide with all you need to know including our latest posts, must-see places, and key information about health & safety, transport, local customs, internet availability and much more!


Your guide to visiting Mexico.



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Find amazing, specially curated offers for travel (Klook, Trusted Housesitters, Expedia, 12go), teaching online (Cambly), shopping (Amazon), drop-shipping (Printify) and even banking (Koho, Wise). Save, earn and explore with us here at Closer Lives! And don't forget to check back regularly for new offers and opportunities!

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